Since the news came out that singer Brandy’s mother, Sonja Norwood, has sued Kim Kardashian and her three siblings for stealing her credit card, I have been truly curious to learn the back-story behind this debacle. Kim apparently was Brandy’s stylist in 2004. I had no idea that Kim Kardashian ever had a job, besides supposedly giving or receiving golden showers (yes I forget the specifics of that rumor and am too afraid too look it up). But Kim did do something professional in her life besides going to parties and showing the world her ass cleavage. But I guess she didn’t do it that well - or at least that ethically - because she stole Sonja Norwood’s credit card, loaned it to her three siblings, and the group managed to run up over $120,000 in debt in 2005 - 2006.

“I did not want to commence litigation against the Kardashian family without conducting an exhaustive investigation into the charges and discussing all options, including criminal prosecution, with my family,” Norwood said in a statement Tuesday.

“After Ray J and Brandy urged me not to file criminal charges because of their prior friendship, I decided to afford the Kardashians an opportunity to resolve this matter without a lawsuit,” Norwood said. “When the fraudulent charges were brought to their attention, they apologized profusely, and advised us, through their attorneys, that they would pay the debt in full. However, they have since reneged on that promise.”

Norwood also said in her statement that her “investigation has revealed that the Kardashians used their two stores [Dash and Smooch] and other stores that I have never visited to take advantage of me. I very much look forward to having the Kardashians account for their misconduct in a court of law.”

[From In Touch]

Sonja Norwood’s statement clears up a few issues, but there are a lot of questions remaining. First off, the card was supposedly given to Kim when she worked for the Norwoods in 2004. Yet the charges occurred several years later. Did Sonja Norwood never get the card back, or did Kim steal the number? Secondly, how did the Kardashians sign for these purchases? Were they actually forging Sonja’s signature, or was Kim an authorized signer on the account? No matter what, how did the other three Kardashians use the card? Why did it take Sonja Norwood so long to notice and/or do anything about the fraudulent charges?

What I’m most eager to hear is the Kardashians’ defense. They have obviously denied any wrongdoing, and Kim has said she has documentation for all the purchases. It seems pretty unusual that Brandy’s mother would have Kim Kardashian - who is no longer her employee - use her credit card. It also seems odd that Norwood would randomly choose to sue the Kardashians if they hadn’t done anything wrong. Although considering their father is the late famed O.J. Simpson defense lawyer Robert Kardashian, I’m sure they’ll be able to come up with some sort of entertaining - if not plausible - defense.

Picture Note by JayBird: Header of Kim Kardashian, joined by her ass. Here are the Kardashian sisters (left to right) Kourtney, Kim and Khloe at Kim’s 27th birthday at JET Nightclub in Las Vegas on October 26th. Images thanks to PR Photos.

Kim Kardashian has never really done anything that’s made me say, “Wow, that girl’s good with money.” She’s done a lot of things that have made me say, “Wow, that girl’s got an ass that should be on her chest,” but that’s about it. And apparently Kim’s ass cleavage is the biggest thing she’s got going for her, because not only is the girl bad with money, but she’s criminally bad. And when you combine bad fiduciary judgment with a ridiculous love of shopping and access to someone else’s credit card, things can get out of hand. Not for a regular person, but apparently for a Kardashian. In 2004, Kim was singer Brandy’s stylist. Brandy’s mother Sonja Norwood, who is also her daughter’s manager, gave Kim her American Express card to make one purchase for Brandy. Although it remains unclear, somehow Kim kept the card and continued to make personal purchases on it - totaling over $120,000. Not only that, but she lent the card to her two sisters and brothers. They even wracked up purchases at the Kardashian family’s own stores!

R&B singer Brandy Norwood’s mother filed a lawsuit Monday against Kim Kardashian accusing her of running up more than $120,000 in credit card charges without permission.

The suit, which also names Kardashian’s siblings Khloe, Kourtney and Robert Jr., alleges they ran up the charges on the mother’s card in 2006 and 2007. It seeks the return of the money plus 10 percent interest.

Kim Kardashian denied the allegations, telling PEOPLE she and her siblings had Norwood’s permission to make the purchases.

“We have her signature on all items,” Kardashian says.

[From People]

I’m sure she does have signatures for all items. Pretty much all credit card companies require you to sign a receipt. But I’m also pretty sure those signatures aren’t really Sonja Norwood’s, or she wouldn’t be suing the Kardashians I’m assuming that Sonja Norwood didn’t keep close tabs on her credit card statements - and if the debt accrued slowly enough, I suppose it’s possible a wealthy enough person might not notice. Considering Kim hasn’t worked as Brandy’s stylist in several years, I can’t imagine any excuse she could give for using the Norwood’s credit card. It’s a little surprising that no one noticed, but I would imagine they probably figured it out a while ago and made other attempts to get their money back before going for a lawsuit.

Kim wasn’t just Brandy’s stylist - she was also Brandy’s brother Ray-J’s girlfriend. You’ll remember that the two had a very infamous sex tape that Ray-J sold (some say Kim was in on the deal too, though she denies it). Maybe Kim thought she was due an extended shopping spree on the Norwood’s dime. The Kardashians are famous due to their deceased father, O.J. Simpson lawyer Robert Kardashian. Considering their legal linerage, I’m surprised they haven’t paid up. I doubt they have a leg to stand on - and if nothing else, it makes an already tacky family look that much worse.

Picture Note by JayBird: Here are the lovely Kardashian sisters (left to right) Kourtney, Kim, and Khloe - at New Years Eve at Mansion. Images thanks to PR Photos.

Actor Wesley Snipes was acquitted on felony tax fraud charges but was convicted on three counts of misdemeanors in failing to file his taxes. Snipes’ defense rested without presenting any evidence, claiming the government had failed to prove their case. Most seemed to think that move doomed Snipes, but he was acquitted of the most serious charges. He still could face up to three years in prison on the misdemeanors.

Snipes is part of the tax denier movement, who believe that tax laws are unjust and that they shouldn’t have to pay them.

Tax deniers assert variously that the tax laws are valid but do not apply to them, that no law makes anyone liable for taxes and that the government tricks people into paying. Promoters of tax denial claim that people can legally stop paying income taxes by executing certain documents, or by not signing others, like tax returns. Courts have rejected all these arguments.

[From the New York Times]

The Supreme Court has said that tax deniers are not guilty of fraud if they can prove that they “sincerely believe” that they weren’t required to pay the taxes. They still have to pay back the taxes and fines, but they can escape criminal consequences.

Snipes became a tax denier in 1999, when he found out he’d have to pay $2 million in taxes. Which is what happens when you make a lot of money. It’s the downside of being rich. Though Snipes was acquitted of all his serious charges, his two co-defendants were both convicted on the fraud and conspiracy charges. Defendant Eddie Ray Kahn is a promoter of tax denial and has previously served time on tax convictions. Douglas Rosile is a former accountant. Both the defense and prosecution say that the fact that Snipes was let off while Rosile and Kahn were convicted shows that the jury agreed that the co-defendants were the criminals and Snipes was the victim who bought into their ideology.

Nigella Lawson - a British celebrity chef, for those of you who aren’t following the cooking-show-as-entertainment trend - has an estimated fortune of £110 million, from her television show and cook books, as well as from her marriage to marketing guru Charles Saatchi. But she doesn’t plan on her children claiming the spoils of her hard work upon her death.

She has decided that she won’t allow her children to inherit a large quantity of wealth, as it spoils them for life, but her husband disagrees.

Mr Saatchi has one daughter, 12-year-old Phoebe from his first marriage.

Miss Lawson, 48, has two children, 13-year-old daughter Cosima and son Bruno, 11, from her marriage to the late journalist John Diamond.

Asked what she hoped the children would learn from her, Miss Lawson told the magazine My Weekly: “To know that I am working and that you have to work in order to earn money.

“I am determined that my children should have no financial security. It ruins people not having to earn money.

“I argue with my husband Charles, because he believes that you should be able to leave money to your children.

“I think we’ll have to agree to disagree.”

Miss Lawson has not said what she would rather do with the couple’s fortune, although she has worked closely with cancer charities after her mother, sister and first husband died of the disease.

Daily Mail

While I think it is nice that Nigella might donate money to cancer causes, who almost certainly would do good work with the fortune, has she considered the fact that by the time she dies her children will probably be in their 30s and 40s? If they haven’t learned fiscal responsibility by that point they probably never will.

They also have not exactly been sheltered from the privileges of wealth - Nigella indulges in designer labels and celebrity beauty therapy, as well as employing someone to do her shopping. The family live in a £7 million London pad. All of which sounds pretty good - maybe Nigella and husband Charles could adopt me?

I think this is actually a ploy on Nigella’s part to scare the children into aiming high, and upon her death she will leave them money. While the Daily Mail suggests that Nigella plans on leaving her children with nothing, she actually doesn’t say this herself.

Last year Body Shop founder Anita Roddick died and left all of her fortune to charity, and her children seem to have accepted this decision. Perhaps it is a good idea - what do you think Paris Hilton would be like today if she had to work 9-5 like other people, instead of partying every night? She gets paid for partying though so that may defeat the purpose of cutting her off.

Picture note by Celebitchy: Nigella Lawson is shown at The Golden Age Of Couture VIP Gala on 9/17/07, thanks to PRPhotos.

Lindsay Lohan and Courtenay Semel in December, 2007
Remember that chick Lohan was hanging out and living with for a couple of weeks, the rich daughter of the Yahoo! CEO? It predictably didn’t work out between the two of them, not that anyone noticed. Star Magazine reports that Courtenay Semel, who was seen out shopping and hanging around with Lohan late last year, packed up and moved out of the home they were sharing in Hollywood. She was said to be jealous of Lohan’s other female “friends.”

An insider close to Lindsay tells Star that hard-partying Courtenay, 28, whose dad is Yahoo! Chairman Terry Semel - moved out of the three-bedroom, two-bath Hollywood Hills home in a moment of anger.

“I think it was a jealousy issue,” says the insider.

“Every time Lindsay had a girlfirend around the house, Courtenay started acting all weird. She’d go up to her bedroom and start texting Lindsay - even though they were in the same house! It was like Courtenay wanted Lindsay all to herself.”

[From Star Magazine, print edition, February 4, 2008]

Lindsay is now living at the Beverly Hills Hotel and she has a sober companion staying in the next room, claims Star. They also say she is about to move back to that home she was renting with Courtenay with a new rommate, a model named Alex who “has a boyfriend who really likes to drink.”

Lohan is also said to have given away her “coke purse,” which has bad memories for her of the time oh-so-long ago that she was hiding her drugs in it. The bag she so easily discarded is a Chanel purse worth $2,000.

It’s no wonder Lohan is rumored to be broke if she’s giving away designer purses. In order to hold on to her dwindling cash, she’s said to be on a $1,000 a day shopping budget. It’s unknown who put the 1k a day limit on Lindsay, which would be incredibly generous by most people’s standards and exceeds the average household income in America by over $300,0000.

In Touch reports that she’s been forced to put clothes aside because she reached her limit for the day:

Lindsay Lohan now has a $1,000-a-day shopping budget. “She shops so much, she would spend all her money,” says an insider. She was spotted putting items on hold at American Rag on January 13. “She picked out two dresses and said she would be back tomorrow,” an employee says. “It’s because the next day, her limit of $1,000″ is restored.”

[From In Touch, print edition, February 4, 2008]

The fact that a girl who wears primarily leggings and t-shirts can manage to spend over $1,000 a day is incredible to me. It must be the purses and shoes, or maybe those tight things she wears are really expensive and she has like 100 of them.

Lohan is shown below shopping for shoes in mid December, thanks to WENN.

Though she might not know the first thing about money, economics, or even be able to do long division, Britney Spears is actually good for the economy. $120 million good. Who knew Britney was capable of contributing anything worthwhile to our lives? It turns out the “Britney Industrial Complex” benefits not just Brit and her record company, but magazines, blogs, clubs – even perfumes. If you can somehow align your product with Britney Spears, you can make up to 33 percent more than you would otherwise. Elizabeth Arden’s three Britney-endorsed perfumes have netted $100 million to date.

According to annual Yahoo! Search rankings, Britney has also topped the list for six of the past seven years. The star was at slot number 2 only in 2004, when Paris Hilton briefly took over.

In just 78 weeks, between January 2006 and July 2007, Britney was on the cover of People, Us Weekly, In Touch, Life & Style, OK!, or Star a whopping 175 times. The survey said that during that time, newsstand sales of issues with her on the cover totaled $360 million.

Overall, the singer [personally] is worth an estimated $125 million and still earns about $737,000 a month according to figures submitted as part of her court battle with her ex- Kevin Federline. Federline is also taking advantage of the Britney craze, commanding almost $30,000 for nightclub appearances. He also receives $35,000 a month from his Britney in spousal and child-support payments.

[From the International Business Times]

And to think I’d claimed Britney was nothing but a drain on the entire world. I guess if you want to attach a dollar sign to her, she’s worth more than I thought. I wonder if she’s worth more or less now that she’s batshit crazy. Does spending time in a locked mental ward increase or decrease your value? I would guess it would cause a short-term increase… but if you stay crazy long enough, people aren’t going to want to be associated with you, and endorsement deals will tend to fade away. Britney’s unwashed-turtle-tank smelling perfume will suddenly be endorsed by Lindsay Lohan instead. Which is probably more appropriate, as I imagine Lindsay smells more like turtles. Something about her face. Considering all the worry that we’re headed for a recession, I’d advise the rest of you to jump on Britney’s coattails. Fast.

Picture note by Jaybird: Britney Spears visits a house in Santa Monica
yesterday. Images thanks to WENN.

I love stories of humble, down-to-earth actors. The opposite of the MTV Cribs sort. Actor James McAvoy appears to be just this sort. The actor, who is currently starring with Keira Knightley in “Atonement” lives a life that isn’t just down to earth, it’s downright humble. According to the Daily Mail, McAvoy and his wife, actress Anne-Marie Duff, live in a small apartment Duff bought for £178,000 (about $346,000 USD) before they were married. It’s in the untrendy Stroud Green area of North London. They also drive a 10-year-old Nissan Micra that’s worth less than $2000. McAvoy could be the worst actor in the world and I swear I would love him just for his lifestyle.

James McAvoy doesn’t seem to even understand why anyone would bother following him or taking his picture. He told Newsweek about an incident where he and Duff were followed by a photographer, who eventually decided not to bother taking pictures of the couple, as they weren’t worth the $20 parking lot he’d have to park in.

I’ve only ever had anybody waiting outside my house once. We got in our car and we were followed, and it was very weird and disconcerting. We thought we would just go about our daily life and just ignore it, all that kind of thing. I think because we had once read that Clive Owen said just ignore it. Like, do whatever Clive Owen does—he’s a solid guy. We were going into town to buy something for the house, and we went into a parking lot that costs £10 an hour, and on seeing the price of the parking, the paparazzi went, “F— that.” They left us alone. So the lesson is, if you’re being chased by paparazzi, don’t drive fast. Just find a really expensive parking lot, and you will be fine.

[From Newsweek]

Sounds like good advice. Next time the press is following me and I just can’t shake them, I’ll swerve into the most expensive lot I can find. McAvoy is getting rave reviews for his performance in “Atonement,” and will next be starring with Angelina Jolie in “Wanted.” Though he’s certainly making some decent money, his neighbors say you’d never know it. Commenting on his lack-of-flash lifestyle, McAvoy told the Daily Mail “I’d rather be who I am and do what I do without seeking any attention.” Something tells me he’ll end up getting more attention for his regular Joe attitude than if he blended in with all the other celebs.

Picture note by Jaybird: Here’s James at the Hollywood Life Magazine’s 7th Annual Breakthrough of the Year Awards on December 9th. Header of James and Keira Knightley at the “Atonement” Screening Hosted by The Cinema Society on December 3rd. Images thanks to PR Photos.

Brandon Davis, one of the two men who re-defined douchiness (I’ll let you figure out who the other is) was detained at the Sydney airport on Saturday morning. His crime? No, he wasn’t held for being a grade-A jerk or being super fug (turns out those are disgusting, but not actually crimes). The heirhead brought more than $10,000 in cash into the country and failed to put it down on his customs form. One can’t help but wonder exactly how this was discovered. From the things I’ve heard about Brandon Davis, I’m going to guess he probably told everyone within hearing distance just how much money he had on him. It’s also pretty surprising that he had more than $42 in his wallet, consider he was supposedly cut off by his family. Guess he either made amends, or his rich friends are helping him out.

Davis was questioned by authorities for over two hours. His Australian model girlfriend got bored and eventually left him at the airport. Sounds like love.

Jetting into Sydney early on Saturday, the grandson of American oil magnate Marvin Davis and former conquest of Paris Hilton is understood to have been unceremoniously detained by Customs officials for having too much money on him.

Loaded with US dollars, the 28-year-old was delayed for more than two hours, while his pin-up girlfriend became increasingly agitated while waiting in the arrivals area. “She was pacing around the whole time, with her mobile phone at her ear, trying to look anonymous,” a witness told The Daily Telegraph. “With her sunglasses on inside, everyone was looking at her.”

A Customs spokesman declined to comment on individual passenger details for privacy reasons yesterday, but said travelers were required to declare if they were carrying more than $10,000 or the equivalent in foreign currency.

Davis… was finally allowed through to meet a waiting car and driver about 10.30am, after arriving on an 8am flight from the US. By that time, [girlfriend Cheyenne] Tozzi had been collected by friends in another vehicle, leaving her wealthy beau behind.

[From News.com.au]

After customs let Davis go, he reportedly went to several currency exchange bureaus, cleaning each one out of cash before going on to the next. I’m not sure how much money they tend to carry, but if he had to go to several exchange bureaus, one would think he really was carrying a ton of money. Not only am I super surprised that Brandon Davis has a ton of money to carry, but I’m surprised that even he is dumb enough to carry over $10,000 in cash. The other day I walked home from the grocery store carrying all of $250 in cash for five blocks and I was nervous. If I had over $10,000 in cash laying around, I’m pretty sure I’d bury it in the backyard. Mostly so Brandon Davis couldn’t find it. Which is how I’m guessing he got his hands on whatever money he has.

Picture note by Jaybird: Brandon Davis and an unidentified female (it could be girlfriend Cheyenn Tozzi, it’s too hard to tell) on the beach in Maui on New Year’s Eve day.. Images thanks to Splash Photos.

It’s been a little while since we’ve slammed on Heather Mills. And it’s really not fair to let Britney hog all the crazy, much as she might like to. Heather Mills is one of those crazies that you can’t help but root against, and feel a little bit of smug satisfaction when nothing goes her way. And given the way the crazy, sanctimonious, delusional Brit behaves, I’m often left feeling pretty satisfied. Though she’s turned down multiple large settlement offers from estranged, soon-to-be ex-husband Paul McCartney, Mills may soon find herself in the poorhouse. She “mutually” parted ways with her legal team last month, after she went on a round of television shows bashing McCartney and saying she wanted to kill herself due to the way everyone treats her. She’d racked up a $4 million legal bill with her former divorce lawyers Mishcon de Reya. Heather had agreed to pay $200,000 a month towards the bill once she got her settlement, but now the legal team is in the process of writing a writ to make her pay up immediately. They’re afraid that her outlandish spending and stubborn/delusional personality will leave her with little or no settlement from Sir Paul, and that she may burn through whatever she does get on designer clothes and security guards.

But here, perhaps, is the nub of it all. For while Heather may have celebrated the festivities at her large £3.25 million country mansion, she is all too aware that the rug is coming close to being pulled from under her, while her soon-to-be ex-husband still has his £850 million fortune firmly in hand.

A writ from her former divorce lawyers Mishcon de Reya for an unpaid bill of £2 million is the tip of the iceberg. There is, say sources, an ever-growing overdraft of £1 million at the exclusive Coutts bank. She has weekly outgoings of more than £5,000, with next to no money coming in. Friends say the only way she can pay the legal bills is by selling the nine-bedroom house in East Sussex — paid for by her ex-husband so he could be close to their daughter.

What’s more, she is beginning to realize that instead of the £50 million figure it was first estimated she could get from Paul’s fortune, she will now be lucky to get £10 million. And at the rate she is spending, that will not last more than a couple of years.

[From the Daily Mail]

Apparently Heather thought that her appearance on “Dancing with the Stars” would make everyone fall in love with her, and she was counting on a financial windfall. I’m not sure how someone with such an extreme personality disorder has gotten as far in life as Heather Mills has. While she clearly has narcissistic personality disorder, I can’t help but wonder if she has her own special brand of delusional personality disorder. I know it’s not an official mental illness, but I’m pretty sure they should make it one.

Meanwhile, Heather’s plans for making money of her own have also backfired. Anticipating a rash of offers after her appearance on Dancing With The Stars, America’s version of Strictly Come Dancing, she set up five companies. But four of the businesses (I Do Care, You Care Worldwide, Raspberry Fields Productions and Beauty and the Baby) are dormant, and the fifth, Dissoi Logoi Productions, is about to be struck off the Companies House register.

“She thought she would get all these amazing deals after being on Dancing With The Stars,” said her friend. “She thought she would be invited onto Oprah and would be filling in for Larry King (the TV interviewer). She set up all these companies in the belief that she would be hugely popular. But it all came to nothing. While people might have admired her dancing, as a personality, she is not a ratings winner.”

[From the Daily Mail]

What will it take for Heather Mills to realize that she’s the psycho, not everyone else? Something tells me that losing her home will just further enhance her victimhood. Heather is now representing herself during her complex legal trial. If anything could assure her that she’d end up with a stack of old newspapers and some chicken eggs for a settlement, it’s Crazy representing herself. If things go as hoped, pretty soon we’ll see her auctioning that leg on eBay.

For several years people have been arguing over just how much Paris Hilton is actually worth. I would say not much, but that’s more from a moral perspective. There have been reports that the famous heiress would get anywhere from nothing to upwards of $100 million when Barron Hilton, her 80-year-old grandfather passes. There were also reports that Barron had cut Paris (and sometimes her parents and Nicky depending on the article) out of the family inheritance since they were so materialistic and embarrassing. But then another story would come along reassuring us all that the Hiltons are in fact legitimately, unfairly, wealthy. But now People is reporting that Barron Hilton has chosen to give the majority of his fortune to charity.

Paris Hilton’s future bank account has just taken an enormous hit – on account of her grandfather. Barron Hilton, the 80-year-old son of the founder of the worldwide hotel chain that carries the family name, has earmarked 97 percent of his vast fortune – nearly $2.3 billion – to the Conrad N. Hilton Foundation, to help the homeless with housing, find safe water in developing countries and assist other good causes around the world, it has been announced.

To Barron’s heirs – who include Paris – will go the remaining three percent: some $69 million, which is said to be taxable. According to calculations by New York’s Daily News, Paris, who once foresaw a $100 million inheritance, is now likely looking at $5 million.

In a statement, Barron Hilton said that his father, Conrad, had set the example and bequeathed 97 percent of his money to the charitable foundation, which the elder Hilton founded in 1944, “and I am proud to follow my father’s example.”

[From People]

Yay! There are good Hiltons after all! That’s amazing that Barron Hilton is following in his father’s footsteps and giving away so much of his money. Warren Buffet did the same thing a few years ago – giving away 85% of his $44 billion fortune to the Bill and Melinda Gates foundation – angering some of his relatives quite a bit.

Paris will certainly be set, either way. Not only is $5 million nothing to sniff at, but the actress is quite the savvy businesswoman herself. Much as we mock her, she’s constantly working, promoting various products and sticking her name on nearly every perfume and dog collar she possibly can. While it may not be upper crust classy in the traditional “old money” way, Paris has made a good deal of money on her own, and certainly doesn’t need to rely solely on her inheritance. No word yet on whether Barron Hilton donated his money because he was embarrassed by his family’s younger generation, as suggested by previous articles. We’re going to assume he’s just an awesome guy, who knows no one needs $100 million less than Paris Hilton.

Picture note by Jaybird: Header Paris and Nicky Hilton having lunch with the always attractive Brandon Davis at the Four Seasons yesterday in Maui. And here’s Brandon Davis chewing, just because I’m mean like that. Images thanks to Splash Photos.